Pad for shoulder straps



Oct'. 14; 1958 K. GERowlN PAD FOR SHOULDER STRAPS Filed May 25, 1954 figa-:2553i:

INVENTO KIBBY GEROWIN y 5 :United StatesPatent 2,855,602 patented Oct. 14, 1958 `This' invention relates to improvements in pads for shoulder strapson brassieres, foundation garments and'r Y other under garments worn by women, and hasfor an object the elimination of the cutting into the shoulders of and the resultant irritation by such straps.

Another object =of the invention is the provision of an improved pad, for the purpose described which includes a cushion portion comprised of a 4strip or sheet of foam rubber having a fabric adhered to both the upper and tothe lower surfaces thereof. The fabric on said respective surfaces may have similar characteristics or different characteristics, as desired, and they may be formed of any suitable natural or artificial fibers.

Yet another object yof the invention is the provision of lan improved pad carrying spaced apart S-shaped members through which the shoulder straps pass, and which carry teeth `on opposite edges of the two outer legs thereof, said teeth having their extremities inclined toward said pad and adapted to dig into the straps and hold them in fixed relation to the pad.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved pad of the character described elongated in form and having its edges congurated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, upon a study of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings, which are given by way of example to illustrate the invention:

Figure l is a view of a woman wearing a brassiere, the

vstraps of which carry my new and improved pads;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional elevation of my pad as seen along the line 2 2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a plan view of one of my improved pads, to which are stitched, or otherwise secured, buckle members to engage the shoulder straps of a brassiere Ior the like;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure'3 except that the shoulder strap has been engaged with the teeth or serrations of engaging members or buckles carried n said Pad;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified form of the device shown in Figure 3, wherein the edges or borders of the device are serrated or pinked instead of scalloped;

Figure 6 is a View similar to that shown in Figure 5, except that the edges or borders are plain; and

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line 7 7 of Figure 4, showing the cooperation of the teeth of the buckle with the shoulder strap or any other suitable web.

Referring first to Figure 2, I show a preferred method of fabricating the pad portion of the device. A comparatively thin sheet 9 of foam rubber or other similar plastic material. Adhered to the upper surface of the sheet 10 is a fabric sheet or web 11, and adhered to the lower surface of the sheet 10 is a second sheet or web 12, which may be like the material of the sheet or web 11, or of a material having other characteristics, as desired.

may be die cutior otherwise formed.

. 2 v Preferably the web or fabric 12 which contacts the flesh of the users shoulders, should have a soft textured finish.

It will be understood that although the sheet 10, as

shown, is the size of a shoulder pad, it may be formed of a large sheet or strip from which many individual pads In Figure 3, the outer periphery or out1ine`13 is scalloped, in Figure 5, the outline 14 is serrated,rwhile in Figure 6, the outline 15 is Yplain.` AI have-'found that with the pads die cut, as described, the edges (be they plain or fancy) are soft and non-irritating as compared with 'other types of pads where the pad material is completely surrounded with fabric, and as a result the pad material, if it had any resilience before it was surrounded with fabric, has lost'the greater percentage `ofit after Ibeing surrounded and encased in the Y fabric. My pads havea distinct advantage over the latter,

becausethey are softly resilient and the user gets the greatest degree of Ycomfort while wearing them.

One of the? important features of my new and improved pad, in additionlto the factthat there are no seams or bindings that would irritate the shoulders of the wearer, is the fact that the entire edge surface of each foam rubber pad is open to the atmosphere, so that the compressed pores therein are free to breathe air in and out as the load on the straps varies due to the body movements of the wearer.

Although any suitable means may be employed for attaching my improved pads to the shoulder straps, one preferred form of the `attaching means is shown in Figure 3 and each comprises a buckle 16. Each pad 10 carries one or more buckles, each being generally S-shaped and formed of metal, plastic, or any other suitable material. The middle leg 17 of each buckle is preferably nonserrated, and is stitched as shown at 32, or otherwise positively Isecured to the upper surface 11 of the pad.

Joining the leg 17 by means of an angular portion 18 is a leg 19 which is spaced apart from the preferably substantially parallel to the leg 17. The inner edge of the leg 19 has a series of teeth 22 thereon, and the outer edge has a series yof teeth 23 thereon. The teeth 22 and 23 consequently face in opposite directions, 'and the tips or points 22a and 23a thereof are slightly inclined downwardly as seen in Figure 7.

Joining the other end of the leg 17 by means of an angular portion 20 is a leg 21 which is preferably spaced apart from and substantially parallel to the leg 17. The inner edge of the leg 21 has a series of teeth 24 thereon,

s andthe outer edge thereof has a series of teeth 25 thereon.

The teeth 24 and 25 have their tips or points 24a and 25a slightly inclined downwardly like the teeth 22 and 23 described above. The leg 19 has a right angled extension 26 which extends toward the leg 17, leaving a gap 28 therebetween for the passage of a shoulder strap 30.

The strap 30 is slipped under the leg 21 and at the same time a portion is slid into the space between legs 17 and 21 via the gap 29. Then the strap 30 is passed over the leg 17 and is slid into the space between legs 17 and 19 via the gap 28 and is passed under the leg 19. Now when the lstrap is grasped on each side of the buckle and pulled taut, the tips 24a, 25a and 22a and 23a pierce the strap 30 and seize, so that the combination has the appearance of the pad and strap shown in Figure 4.

In Figure 1 I show a woman wearing a brassiere 31, the straps 30 of which carry my improved pads 10. It will be noted that the pads are neat and trim and that they cushion the load on the straps and thereby give the wearer the desired degree of comfort.

Another feature of the invention is that, with the padbuckle arrangement, the user in addition to passing brassiere straps through the buckles may pass straps of 9) a other undergarments through the buckles 16,'"tlius placing the load of all such garments on the shoulder pads and providing additional comfort. By using the device in this manner, a very annoying difficulty of having the straps (spread apart-on the shoulders Land of having ,someof'them slip off of the shoulders and downon the arms is eliminated. t A

Although I4 have herein shown and described my improved p'ad material, my improved pads, per se, a nd the improved buckle in combination therewith, by way of eX- ample, it will be understood that many changes may be made in theV arrangements shown andrdescribed without departing from 'the spirit of theinventionas defined in the following claim. Y

What I claim is: Y v t In a shoulder pad device to protect the shoulders of a woman from irritation hy'the shoulder straps of an under garment, a resilient shoulder pad having lunfinished edges and'having opposite at. surfaces thereof carrying fabric -facings, at least one of said tacings having a soft textured finish for contacting the skin of the user, a pair of spaced apart buckles positively secured to the facing opposite the one contacting said skin and adapted to be engagediwith said shoulder straps so that said pad may `"`b`e"in'terposed betweensaid 'straps and the shoulder of a wearer, each buckle having three co-extensive substantially parallel portions, the center portion being positively secured on said last face, and the two outer portions having opposed teeth thereon the extremities of which are set toward the face on which it is mounted so that they will dig into the fabric of a strap when the latter is passed under said toothed portions and over said rst portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 352,010 yShelby Nov. 2, 1886 1,631,694 Rick June 7, 1927 2,084,412 Schaefer June 22, 1937 2,099,199 Devendor et al Nov. 16, 1937 2,212,862 Hirsh Aug. 27, 1940 2,444,806 Cleasby July 6, 1948 72,637,849 Nelsonf May 12, 1953 y2,643,380 rBlair June 30, 1953 -'2,689,348 Crawford Sept. 21, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS Y v 907,435 France June 25, 1945 

